Semiconductor packages include one or more semiconductor chips having connections that are protectively enclosed in an encapsulation material and/or mold compound. Semiconductor packages are commonly employed in a wide range of electronic devices, such as mobile devices, and in a wide variety of applications, including telecommunication and automotive applications.
Power semiconductor packages have conductive strips for guiding signals from the chip(s) to contacts outside the package. The conductive strips are provided with metal that is deposited over or onto dielectric portions of the chip(s). The dielectric portions of the chip(s) are seeded with metal or compounds that are receptive to the metal deposition of the conductive strips. Additive processes such as ink jet printing or photolithography, for example, are subsequently employed to process the seeded dielectric portions into metal conductive strips. The seeding and the additive processes can present challenges to the package fabrication process and add expense to the finished semiconductor device.
For these and other reasons there is a need for the present invention.